Contents

NOTES FROM THE COUCH Idler’s Diary 8 Arthur Smith Why you should never look on the bright side 15 How I Live Mary Killen, journalist 18 Philosophy All you need is love, says Mark Vernon 21 Idler Heroes Alex Johnson on the towering intellect of Michel de Montaigne 24 Odium Griff Rhys Jones’ big bang theory 26

FEATURES Interview: Rupert Sheldrake Tom Hodgkinson meets the biologist and occasional mystic whose morphic resonance theory is still causing controversy 40 years after he proposed it 30 Doodle Do! John-Paul Flintoff explains how drawing mind maps can change your life 40

Heavenly Creatures Stonemason Alex Woodcock reveals the secrets behind the medieval carvings that decorate our churches 44 Time for a Rethink Why our current work-time regime has to go. By Guy Standing 50 Poetry “Notice to Guests” by Claudine Toutoungi 55

STYLE Fashion: Watch it! You’d better watch out, it’s wrist chic with Alice Smith

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Idle Home Layers of history: Georgina Williams visits a house in southeast London that’s been restored to its Victorian glory 60 The Good Stuff Fab fabrics, choice cheeses, brilliant bags and a sumptuous sauce 68 Slow Tech Lee Osborne t alks to lo-fi film director Mark Jenkin 72

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